Envelope-fastener-attaching machine



Sept. 16 I924.

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Filed 001:. 17 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 16. 1924.

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JhUGIZtO I Filed Oct. 17 1921 Sept. 16 1924.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABRAHAM NOViCK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO I. L; SMIIHE MACHINE COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N.- Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

ENVELOPE-FASTENER-ATTAQHING MACHDI E.

Application filed October 17, 1921: Serial R0. 508,248.

To all whom it may mm."

Be it known that I, Anaamm Novrox, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, borou h of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings an State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelope-Fastener-Attaching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for attaching fasteners to envelopes and the like, and has for its object to provide a machine of the class specified which is automatic in action, easily operated, and which is dependable and rapid in its action.

To these ends my improvements comprise features illustrated in'their preferred embodiment in the drawings accompanying this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of so much of a fastener attaching machine as will sufice to illustrate my improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar elevation of a portion of what is shown in Fig. 1, illustrating several of the parts more in detail and with the arts in different relative positions from t e showing of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on line 3-3 of Fig. 1. 4 is a sectional plan view on line 44 of g. 1, and Fig. 5 is a similar view on line 55 of said Flg. 1. Fig. 6 is an elevation similar to that of Fig. 1, illustrating a modification of the fastener feeding mechanism. Fig. 7 is a similar elevation of a detail of what is shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of a portion of the fastener chute. The scale of Figs. 1, 6 and 7 is the same and the scale of all the other figures is the same, but twice that of Figs. 1, 6 and 7.

The general character of fastener which the machine of the present invention is adapted to attach is best illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein at F is a fastener in condition for setting, and at F is a fastener blank revious to having the holding prongs 0 set therefrom. Said blanks, as F are preferably of thin sheet metal, cruciform in shape. The attaching arms 2, 2 are preferably wider and shorter than the foldable arms 6,

6 and, as shown at F, have holes 7, 7 unched therethrough whereby downwardl -reaching prongs 8, 8, Fig. 4, are rovided for clinching against the under si e of the sheet to which the fastener is applied.

Briefly, the resent invention is directed to means for advancing the blanks F one at a time, preferably from the bottom of a stack of blanks sustained in vertical position in a suitable hopper, to means for punching the holes 7 and ofl'setting prongs 8 and, after the operation of said punching means, to means for delivering the punched fastener to the upper end of a chute, down which said fastener travels by gravity to setting position, thence to means for pressing the fastener prongs through. the sheet or envelope and folding the prongs against the under face of the sheet.

As illustrating one style of envelope to which my improved mechanism is adapted for applying fasteners, in Fig. 2, 9 is the rear body wall of such an envelope and 10 is the flap thereof, having opening 11 there through, and which fla in closin the envelope, is folded over t e upper en of rear y 9, arms 6, 6 of the fastener being bent upwardly at r1 ht angles to arms 2, 2 and inserted throug o mng 11, and then bent away from each ot er, down onto said flap.

ferring now particularly to Fig. 1, my improved machine preferably comprises a bed 13 over which front body wall 12 of the envelope, Fig. 2, is entered, the rear body wall 9 passing over a yieldable arm 14 pivoted at 15 to an ear upstanding from bed 13. The said arm 14 thus enters the mouth of the envelope, and may be yieldably sustained at a suitable distance from bed 13 by s rin 16 about st 17, nut 18 en a t e tlfi-eaded porti dh of saidv post abo e arm. Said arm carries on its upper face suitable spreading dies 19, 19 for prongs 8, 8, respectively.

Upstanding from frame 20, which sustains bed 13, are posts 21, 21, in the upper and overhan ing ends of which is rotatably mounted shaft 22. Said shaft is a one-revolution shaft and may be actuated and controlled to make one revolution and then stop, by known means not shown. Depending from posts 21, 21, respectively, are arms as 23, only one of which is shown, between which is slidably mounted fastener settin head 24. Said head is reciprocated vertically from crank on shaft 22 by pitman 26, the lower end of which turns freely on shaft 27 extending from o posite upstanding portions, as 24', of head 24. Said head 24 carries spring pressed guiding plungers 28, 29

ada ted for passing through holes 7, respective y, in the fastener and locating said fastener over dies 19.

Extending to the right from arms 23, respectively, are frames 30, 30 on which are mounted means for sustaining a stack of fastener blanks, means for feeding those blanks one at a time to punching means, where holes 7 are punched and pron s 8 offset from said fastener, and means or conveying the ronged fastener to setting position over ies 19. The stack of fastener blanks, as F of Fig. 3, may be supported by their ends 6, 6 in opposite vertical guideways 31, 31 in frames 30, 30, res ectively, and while normally fed downwardly by gravity may be further provided with sliding follower 32, Fig. 1, thereover, if desired.

For feeding the lowermost blank of the stack to position for punching against stops 43, 43, slide 33, traveling in opposite rooves 34, 34 in frames 30, 30, respectively, as opposite fastener engaging blades 35, 35, the leading ends of which underlie arms 6, 6 of the fastener and shoulders 36, 36 of which engage the edges of said arms, all respectively, Figs. 1, 2 and 3. For reciprocating slide 33 back lever 37 pivoted at 38 in the upper part of rear frame 30, has its bifurcated lower end in engagement with pin 39 outstanding from the side of said slide. Oscillatory movement is imparted to said lever 37 from cam 40 fixed to shaft 2-2 throu h roll 41 of cam arm 42 ivotally connected to said lever 37 about midway its length. Pull-spring 34 is.

efficient for holding roll 41 in engagement with cam 40. 'Z

Die-head 44, supported from frame 30, 30, is provided with spring-urged ejectors 45, 45 in holes 46, 46, for e ecting prongs 8 of the fastener, after those prongs have been formed by unches 47, 47, respectively, carried in osci lating head 48 fixed to shaft 49 in opposite ears, as 50, of arms, as 23. Said head is provided with stripping plate 51 for punches 47, 47. Said plate is urged toward the work by springs 52 and may be adjustabl held against said springs by bolt 53 an its nut. Said stripping plate 51 is mounted for free rotation on shaft 49. Punch-head 48 is oscillated into coactio'n with die-head 44 by the engagement of roll 55 on arm 56, with cam 57 on shaft 22, and pull spring 58 is efficient for holding said roll and cam in contact.

Oscillating chute 59, pivoted at 60 between frames 30, has arm 61 reaching to the left, Fig. 1, and carries at its free end roll 62 for engagement with cam 63 fixed to shaft 22. Said roll is constrained to en agement with cam 63 by pull spring 64. and chute 59 has at its u per end the following means for receiving t e fasteners one after another from the punching mechanism. Opposite and forth from time to time, 9

feet 65, 65 rigidly fixed to said chute, reach out to the right therefrom on opposite sides of die-head 44, just below the upper face of said head, Fig. 1. Above said feet and for gripping coaction therewith are narrow gripper fingers 66, 66 fixed to rockshaft 67 pivoted in ears 68, 68 of chute 59. For oscillating said fingers arm 69, also fixed to shaft 67, is provided. Said arm 69 in the movement of chute 59 to the right, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, engages ledge 70, Fig. 3, of rear frame 30. Fingers 66, 66 are urged toward feet 65, 65 by leaf sprin 71 fixed to chute 59 and engaging depen ing portion 72 of arm'69.

For discharging the fastener from the grip of fingers 66 and feet 65 oscillating arms 73, 73 are provided. Said arms are spaced a art and their operative lower ends lie outs1 e the right hand arm 2 of fastener and between feet 65 of the chute, Fig. 3. Said arms 73 are fixed to rockshaft 74 pivoted in frames 30 and are actuated from cam 75 fixed to shaft 22 through roll 76 on push bar 77, the outer end of which is pivotally connected with the free end of rock arm 78 fixed to shaft 74. Roll 76 may be urged to engagement with cam 75 by pull spring 79.

The lower end of chute 59 is provided with opposite spring hooks 80, 80 for yieldably retainin the lowermost fastener F, Fig. 5, against immature discharge from said chute, and opposite spring fingers 81, 81 are efficient for bending the inserted envelope from the prongs of the fasteners in the chute and when in the position of Fig. 1 for holding the envelope down onto dies 19. Near the lower end of chute 59, spring detent 82 is carried on pin 83 of said chute and is adapted for swinging on said pin to present its point in the path of the fasteners for preventing their downward movement, Fig. 4, at the time of first loading said chute with fasteners. When not in use said detent 82 is swung to one side with its point against the back wall of the chute, Fig. 2.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows: Guideways or hopper 31, 31 being supplied with fastener blanks as F, Fig. 1, shaft 22 is started rotating in anticlockwise direction. Slide 33 thereupon moves to the left, advancin the lowermost blank from the position of 1 to that of F, Fig. 3, against stops 43, 43 and under spring pressed n ers 66, into position for punching. Punc -head 48 is then swung downwardly on its pivot 49, punches 47, 47 act, strippin -plate 51 holding the fastener against ie-head 44 until said punches with draw. Ejectors 45, 45, follow stripper 51 to the ends of their strokes, respectively, thereby lifting .pron 8, 8 of the fasteners out of the ho es in ie block 44, coincident with the swinging of chute 59 on its pivot llf , the fastener securelly 60, whereby feet move upwardly and to the left, Fig. 2, thereby gripping the fastener against fingers 66, and carryi the fastener above and free of stops 43. gscillating arms 73 then swing to the left from the position of Fig. 2, pushing the fastener out of the gri of fingers 66 and feet 65, and into the t mat of chute 59. The fastener then slides downwardly in said chute until it encounters spring detent 82, which has previously been swung with its point protruding into said chute, Fig. 4. The operation of feeding and punching the fasteners is then continued until chute 59 is filled with said fasteners from detent 82 nearly to the chute top, when detent 82 is withdrawn by hand from supporting said fasteners, which thereupon slide down the chute, the leading fastener engaging spring hooks 80, ready for delivery to setting position, all as in Fi 2.

An envelope being now its back 9 over bed 13, Fig. 2, the operation of the machine is continued and at the next oscillation of the upper part of chute 59 to the right, Fi 1 ,the lower end of said chute swings to e eft, thereby carrying the lowermost fastener therein into delivery position under die-head 24, Fig. 1. Said head then descends, plungers-28, 29 enter the holes, respectively, in said fastener and impinge against rtion 9 of the envelope. The lower end 0 chute 59 then withdraws to the right leaving the lowermost fastener in the control of said plungers. Head 24, continuing its downward movement, presently engages the fastener thereunder, forcing prongs 8, 8 thereof ithrough portion 9 of the envelope and against dies 19, by which said prongs are bent outwardly and then upwardly against the sheet 9, thus setting in place. Head 24 then withdraws upward y to the position of Fig. 1, when the envelo e ma .be removed and another substitute to supplied with a fastener in its turn.

In the-modification of Figs. 6, 7 and 8, the chute 59 of the earlier. figures of the drawings, is divided into a plurality of relatively movable members, and other parts of the machine are somewhat rearranged. For instance, the hopper and punching mechanism. are set higher relatively to shaft 22, and rockshaft 49 carrying punch-head 48 is placed above said shaft rather than below as in Fig. 1. In Fig. 6, midportion 59' of the chute is fixid rigidly at 84 to frames 30, 30, and the upper and lower portions 59, 59, respective] are pivotally mounted for oscillation in ependently of each other. This arrangement permits ad'ustment and timing of either without afiectmg the other, which is in some cases advantageous. To these ends chute up 1' portion 59 is fixed to shaft 85 turning reely in hub 86 of rear introduced with frame 30. Reaching to the left from shaft 85 is arm 87 carrying at its free end roll 88 for en agement with cam 89 fixed to shaft 22, an said roll is constrained to engagement with its cam by pull spring 90. Lower member 59 of the chute is pivotally mounted similarly to chute 59 of Fig. 1 and similarly actuated by cam 63. Chute lower member 59 may be provided with stopscrew 91 for enga ement with ear 92 of arm 23, whereby the elivery end of said chute member may be adjusted to the right or left, Fig. 6. The lower end of chute upper member 59 constitutes a gate and oscillates into and out of delivery position relatively to the upper end of chute mid-portion 59, and the upper end of chute lower member 5990scillates up and down relatively to the lower end of said mid-portion 59" but always maintains receiving relation thereto, see Figs. 6 and 7. Lower portion 59 has horns 93,93 extending into slots 94, 94, respectively, of mid-portion 59 for maintaining said receiving relation. The operation of the just described modified form of my improvements will be clearly understood from the previous description of the operation of the machine. Sufiice it to state that, when the fastener is removed from the punching devices by chute upper member 59", said fastener slides down said chute member against ledge 95 of mid-portion 59 and when the lower end of said member 59 swings to the right into coincidence with the upper end of mid-portion 59, the fastener passes into said mid-portion and so down into lower member 59".

I claim:

1. In a fastener attaching machine the combination of a hopper for the fastener blanks, fastener prong punching mechanism, means for delivering the fastener blanks one at a time from the hopper to the punching mechanism, fastener settin mechanism, and means comprisin a mova le chute for deliverin the punc ed fasteners one at a time from t e punching mechanism to the setting mechanism.

2. In a fastener attaching machine the combination of a hopper for the fastener blanks, fastener prong punching mechanism including a die head, a die therein, and a movable punch adapted and actuated for coaction with said die, means for deliverin the fastener blanks one at a time from t e hopper to the punching mechanism, fastener setting mechanism located below the punching mechanism, and means comprising a movable chute for delivering the punched fasteners one at a time from the punching mechanism to the setting mechanism, said chute provided with fastener ipping means at its upper end.

3. n a fastener attaching machine the combination of a hopper for the fastener blanks, fastener unching mechanism, means for delivering t e fastener blanks one at a time from the hopper to the punching mechanism, fastener setting mechanism, a chute having at least its upper and lower portions movable and adapted for receiving a fastener from the punching mechanism and delivering said fastener to the setting mechanism, the upper end of said chute having fingers and feet coacting respectively for gripping a fastener therebetween, said fingers and feet being mounted for movement relatively to each other respectively, and means for discharging the fastener from the grip of said fingers and feet into the throat of said chute.

4. In a fastener attaching machine the combination of a hopper for the fastener blanks, fastener punching mechanism, means for delivering the fastener blanks one at a time from the hopper to the punching mechanism, fastener setting mechanism, a chute having at least its upper and lower portions movable and adapted for receiving a fastener from the punching mechanism and delivering said fastener to the setting mechanism, the upper end of said chute having fingers and feet coacting respectively for gripping a fastener therebetween, said fingers being adapted and actuated for coaction with said punching mechanism for holding a fastener in punching position, said fingers and feet being 'mounted for movement relatively to each other respectively, and means for discharging the fastener from the grip of said fingers and feet into the throat of said chute.

5. In a fastener attaching machine the combination of fastener punching mechanism, fastener setting mechanism and means for delivering the punched fasteners one at a time from the punching mechanism to the setting mechanism comprising a chute having a fixed mid-portion and movable upper and lower portions, the lower portion of said chute being adapted and actuated for delivering a fastener therein to the setting mechanism, said lower portion having its upper end constantly in receiving relation in respect of said mid-portion and having its lower end movable into and out of delivery position relatively to the setting mechanism.

6. ,In a fastener attaching machine the combination of fastener punching mechanism, fastener setting mechanism' comprising a setting die and a movable setting ead coacting therewith, a chute having upper and lower movable portions adapted for receiving a fastener from the punching mechanism and delivering said fastener to the setting mechanism, means carried by the upper portion of said chute adapted and actuated for lifting a fastener from said punchingmechanism, means for discharging the fastener from the grip of the upper portion of said chute into the throat of said chute, the lower portion of said chute being adapted and actuated for delivering a fastener therein to the setting mechanism, and means for timing the several instrumentalities relatively with each other.

7. In a fastener attaching machine the combination of fastener punching mechanism, fastener setting mechanism, comprising a setting die and a movable settin head coacting therewith, a spring presse guide plunger carried by said head for 10- cating said fastener in setting position, a chute having a fixed mid-portion and upper and lower movable portions adapted for receiving a fastener from the punching mechanism and delivering said fastener to the setting mechanism, the upper end of said chute having fingers and feet coacting respectively for gripping a fastener therebetween, the lower portion of said chute being adapted and actuated for delivering a fastener therein to setting position between said setting die and head, said upper portion having at its upper end fastener gripping means and at its lower end a ate movable into and out of delivery relation in respect of said mid-portion, and means for timing the several instrumentalities relatively with each other.

8. In a fastener attaching machine the combination of fastener punching mechanism, fastener setting mechanism located below the punching mechanism comprising a bed, a yieldable arm spaced apart from said bed, a setting die on said arm, and a movable setting head coacting with said die, a chute having upper and lower movable portions adapted for receiving a fastener from the punching mechanism and delivering said fastener to the setting mechanism, the upper end of said chute having fingers and feet coacting respectively for gripping a fastener therebetween, said fingers being mounted for movement toward and from said feet respectively, said fingers being adapted and actuated for coaction with said punching mechanism for holding a fastener in punching position, movable arms adapted and actuated for pushing the fastener out of the grip of said fingers and feet into the throat of said chute, and means for timing the several instrumentalities relatively with each other.

9. In a fastener attaching machine the combination of fastener punching mechanism including a die head and a die therein, a movable punch adapted and actuated for coaction with said die, fastener setting mechanism located below the punching mechanism comprising a bed, a yieldable arm spaced apart from said bed, a setti die on said arm, and a movable settiiig lot head coacting with said die, a chute havpunching me hanism to the setting mechaing upper and lower movable portions nism comprising a chute having a fixed adapted for receiving a fastener from the mid-portion and movable upper and lower punching mechanism and deliverin said ortions, the lower portion of said chute a fastener to the setting mechanism, t e up eing movably mounted and adapted and per end of said chute having fingers and feet actuated for delivering a fastener therein coacting respectively for gripping a fasto the setting position between said setting tener therebetween, said fingers being mountdie and head, said upper portion having at its ed for movement'toward and from said feet upper end fastener gripping means and at 10 respectively, said fingers being adapted and its lower end'a gate movable into and out actuated for coaction with said die head for of delivery relation in respect of said midholding a fastener in punch'ng position, and portion, said lower portion having its upper movab e arms adapted and actuated for end constantly in receiving relation in regushing the fastener out of the grip of said spect of said mid-portion and having its ngers and feet into the throat of said lower end movable into and out of delivery chute. position relatively to the setting mechanism, 10. In a fastener attaching machine the and means for discharging the fastener combination of fastener punching mechafrom the grip of the upper portion of said -nism, fastener seetting mechanism, comprischute into the throat of said chute.

' ing a setting die and a movable setting head In witness whereof, I hereby afiix my sigcoacting therewith, means for deliveringthe nature, this 16th day of September, 1921. punched fasteners one at a time from jthe ABRAHAM NOVICK. 

